1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an electrostatic image developing toner, an electrostatic image developer, an image forming method and an image forming apparatus.
2. Related Art
The mechanism widely used in an image forming apparatus utilizing an electrophotographic technique, such as copying machine and printer, includes a developing apparatus shown in FIG. 1, which performs a charging step of forming an electrostatic charge; a latent image forming step of forming an electrostatic latent image on a latent image holding member surface; a developing step of forming a toner image through a developing device equipped with a mechanism that conveys a developer containing an electrostatic latent image developing toner (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a “toner”) by a development sleeve and develops the electrostatic latent image; a transfer step of transferring the toner image formed on the latent image holding member surface onto a transfer-receiving material surface such as paper or intermediate transfer material; and a fixing step of finally fixing the transferred toner image on an output medium, thereby forming an image. The latent image holding member above has a mechanism of returning again to the charging step through a cleaning step of collecting the residual material by scraping the surface with an elastic blade after the transfer step.
The cleaning member shown in FIG. 1 has a function of contacting an elastic blade with the residual material, thereby scraping it at the contact part (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a “blade nip”), and transferring the collected material to the collection vessel side.
The function required as the cleaning performance includes a fundamental function of removing a substance to be cleaned off, such as toner remaining on the latent image holding member surface, and further includes functions of, from the standpoint of prolonging the life, not scratching the latent image holding member surface and in view of generation of an image defect due to contamination, preventing a resin component such as toner binder resin or releasing agent from filming (adhering) by sliding at the abutting part.